


Heart For Sale

by BrownFoxx



Category: The Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - No Zombies, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-22
Updated: 2021-02-22
Packaged: 2021-03-12 22:48:55
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,900
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29641878
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BrownFoxx/pseuds/BrownFoxx
Summary: Real estate agent Carol Martin had it all... except for a love in her life to call her own.  Could her new client Daryl help fill the void?
Relationships: Andrea/Merle Dixon, Carol Peletier/Ed Peletier, Daryl Dixon & Carol Peletier, Daryl Dixon/Carol Peletier, Ezekiel/Carol Peletier, Rick Grimes & Carol Peletier, Rick Grimes/Michonne
Comments: 3
Kudos: 12





	1. Chapter 1

37 year old divorcee Carol Martin had it all. She was the top selling agent at a small but successful real estate agency; she owned a lovely duplex by the ocean in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina and she drove a vintage, convertible Shelby Mustang. Her life's joy however was her beautiful, 17 year old daughter Sophia who'd recently graduated from high school with honors. 

The only thing missing in her life was a love to call her own since her divorce nearly 8 years ago.

Although she was gorgeous with a kind and generous heart and a winning personality (complete with a sharp wit and an adventurous spirit), Carol had been unlucky in love. By age 30 she'd been married twice and twice divorced; initially hitched at 18 & separated by 19 from Sophia's birth father Ed Peletier (whom she'd left while still pregnant once his drinking and drug inspired threats of abuse turned into a scary reality,) then remarried at age 21 to her second husband Tobin, who hadn't abused her in any way whatsoever and was a great step-dad to Sophia but they'd simply grown apart and had separated when Carol was 30.

Tobin had been a God-send when he came into Carol's life not long after she'd left Ed however. He helped heal her broken heart and helped her get back on her feet as well, supporting her through community college and later in real estate school, and had even adopted baby Sophia as his own, but they simply fell out of love over time.

Surprisingly they had an 'amicable divorce,' in that they didnt hate each others guts after their marriage fell apart and had agreed on the terms their lawyers devised for splitting up their assets. They both wanted joint custody of Sophia with Carol as the primary caregiver. She got the house, half of their joint savings, a three year alimony stipend and child support payments thru Sophia's 18th birthday, while Tobin got to keep the other half of the savings and his precious fleet of boy toys including an SUV, his beloved Ford F-150 pick-up truck, two vintage Harley Davidson motorcycles and his beloved fishing boat, and most importantly he was happy with the judge's ruling that allowed him to see his adopted daughter fairly often, even though she'd live with Carol the bulk of the time. 

Just before Sophia started high school Carol decided to sell the family home in Charleston, South Carolina and used the hefty profit she made to move up to Myrtle Beach for a fresh start. She used her insider real estate contacts to score an adorable duplex in a gated community just a block away from the beach and both she and Sophia immediately fell in love with the place. Tobin had already left the area not long after their divorce was finalized; opting to relocate to Beaufort, South Carolina, a small fishing town an hour south of Charleston where his office's main headquarters was located, and his new home was a three hour drive from Myrtle Beach (close enough for Sophia to reach by Amtrak train or Greyhound bus once she was old enough to travel by herself) for her one weekend per month and month-long summer visits as stipulated in the joint custody agreement until she turned 18.

Despite their divorce, Carol and Tobin had remained on good terms. They'd fallen out of love a long time ago but they still respected each other and their common concern was for Sophia's care and happiness. Tobin paid alimony and Sophia's child support payments, as well as set up a trust fund for when she started college, so they didnt want for anything... but deep down Carol had always felt a little lonely since the divorce.

Truth be told she was severely lacking in the romance department. She was still young with an intensely vibrant sensuality just under the surface of her seemingly laid-back demeanor and Tobin had been an attentive and affectionate husband before they started having major problems in their marriage years ago so she really missed the intimacy that he'd once provided her more than anything else. She'd put those needs on hold after the divorce for the most part however, opting to focus her energy on building her career and most importantly on raising her child. 

She'd gone on a few dates here and there over the years, and that previous winter had even gone out with Ezekiel King, Sophia's somewhat eccentric Theatre Arts teacher. Even though they got along okay, they had absolutely nothing in common beyond their initial attraction to one another so they decided to simply remain friends. Although it hadn't worked out, Carol still had hope that she would find love again. Little did she know that she might find it at work of all places...


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Will Carol take the job?

After dropping Sophia off at the Myrtle Beach Greyhound bus station for her annual summer visit with her adopted dad, Carol felt like crying as she then headed off to work. She normally drove Sophia down to Tobin's home every summer and for her monthly weekend visits and had always enjoyed their 'girl talk' during the three hour long ride, but for the past year or so Sophia occasionally opted to take the ride by herself on the bus or the train and now that she was practically all grown up she'd planned to take the bus down by herself yet again and this time would return in the new car Tobin had promised to buy her before starting college in the fall.

After a quick hug goodbye Sophia headed inside of the station to catch her bus and once she was out of her sight Carol missed her already and knew that when she returned home she would only be there for a couple of weeks before leaving again, that time to move into the freshman women's dormitory down at Savannah State to begin the nursing program. 

Although Carol was used to having the house to herself for a month every summer since her divorce, she dreaded the inevitible empty nest syndrome she was going to experience once Sophia would be away in college for most of the year over the next four years and quite probably for good beyond that because not long after graduating she'd take her state board exam then would be eligible for a high paying nursing job and could easily afford a place of her own, anywhere she wanted to move to. The thought alone was bittersweet and although it was only the second week in July, Carol had a bad feeling that the rest of her summer might be a little depressing.

Upon arriving at Southern Comfort Realty's office complex at a little past nine, the receptionist, Tara, let her know that she didnt have any house showings lined up as of yet for the day and that their boss, Michonne, would be in late that morning but hoped to be there before lunchtime. Carol nodded her head in thanks for the info then headed to her private office just down the hallway.

It was almost as smoldering inside as it was outside so she immediately turned the AC up full blast then made a few follow up calls to a couple of clients who'd requested local landscaping, interior design and home renovation referrals then she got caught up on a little paperwork. It wasn't long however before she'd completed her tasks so she decided to brew a pot of hazelnut iced coffee in her uber fancy gourmet iced drink machine, a little "top seller of the quarter" gift from the boss. All of her work was already done and it wasn't even noon yet so she knew that unless someone called about seeing a house that same day in the next couple of hours (which was highly unlikely,) it was going to be a very long and boring afternoon and she was going to need the caffeine boost to stay awake. 

Carol usually only worked a few days a week during the summer months; in the office by appointment and more often than not remotely from home to address calls and home buyer sales inquiries and since the busy season had passed with its vacation home buyers opting to buy in winter and spring in order to be settled into their beachfront properties by the time summer set in she wasn't necessarily needed on site everyday, but since she had to take Sophia to the bus station that morning she went on in since she was in the area anyway.

After browsing on her favorite shopping websiteeonline a few minutes the beeping of the coffee maker alerted her that her drink was ready but just as she was about to pour herself a big cup her office phone started ringing. She glanced down at it and saw the mainline extension from the front desk calling and answered.

"Hey Tara, what's up?" 

"Carol, hey! Busy?" 

"Not at all... its been embarrassingly slow all morning. Honestly, I should've worked from home again today! At least I could be out by the pool, working on my tan," she groaned.

"I wish I had that option!" Tara whined then told Carol the reason for calling. "Just wanted to let you know that Michonne just got in and she wants to see you in her office ASAP. Something about a new client... some big shot, 'A-lister' whatever that means?"

"If Michonne says a client is an A-lister, then he or she is probably a celebrity and very likely quite wealthy to boot," Carol chuckled. "Which in the real estate world is both a blessing and a curse. The commission we make on the types of homes they buy is insane but they almost always drive us nuts the entire time with their expectations for special treatment, their perfectionist demands and dissatisfaction with EVERYTHING they deem less than perfect and they're almost always unbearably impatient during every single step of the buying process... but I'm here to make that money so tell her I'll be right there," she then added with a laugh before hanging up. She then took a quick sip of her iced coffee then slid her feet back into her tall wedge sandals that she'd kicked off moments after arriving before heading down the hall to knock on Michonne's door.

Real estate lawyer turned commercial and residential properties broker Michonne Douglass glanced through her frosted glass office door and motioned for Carol to come inside with a grin and a wave. She was on the phone talking a mile a minute at the moment and when Carol entered she immediately noticed the stacks of bridal magazines littering her desk along with numerous fabric samples for the bridesmaids, maid of honor & matron of honor gowns (which Carol hoped wouldn't be the hideous mustard yellow satin among the pile since she'd been chosen as the matron of honor in the ceremony.) She then noticed the numerous cutlery and registry catalogs, dinner menus, gourmet cake bakery and honeymoon destination brochures and a half a dozen or so hand written calligraphy invitation samples so she figured that Michonne was talking to her wedding planner, Andrea, as per usual lately. 

Michonne was in the middle of planning her upcoming nuptials to state police Chief Rick Grimes, a former sheriff's deputy from King County, Georgia who'd taken a position with the South Carolina state police force three years prior. It was love at first sight for the two love birds when Rick walked into the agency looking to purchase a condo not long after relocating to the area. 

Carol waited patiently until Michonne ended her call a few moments later.

"Carol, Im so sorry! Thanks for your patience babe. I was talking to Andrea as usual but believe it or not, we weren't talking about the wedding! She's actually sending a client our way... a major client at that... who just happens to be her brother-in- law."

"Is her brother in law famous or something?"

"In some circles... he's Daryl Dixon," Michonne explained.

"Who's Daryl Dixon?" Carol's blank expression told Michonne that she was clueless of the infamous Mr. Dixon's identity. 

"He's the co-owner of the Crossbow Kings hunting gear & weapons store chain, and of Dixon's Cycles, one of the biggest motorcycle and sportsbike dealerships in Atlanta! He and his brother Merle, thats Andrea's husband by the way, also own major stock in Apocalypse World and their bike dealership provides the fleet of zombie cycles available for rent there." 

"I think my ex-husband used to get catalogs in the mail from Crossbow Kings for fishing supplies... but what on earth is Apocalypse World? And more importantly what the hell's a zombie cycle?" Carol asked with a smirk. 

Michonne laughed. "I'm surprised Sophia hasn't asked you to take her to Apocalypse World with her friends. Its a huge interactive amusement park way out in the woods down in Senoia, Georgia and get this, the whole theme of the place is a futuristic zombie apocalypse! It opened up a few years ago and Rick took me not long after we started dating. When you first go inside you get to pick a character costume and a weapon, a park map and a backpack with a red paint gun, snacks, water bottles and other supplies. Your group will also receive a random background scenario and specific tasks to do during the course of the day for finding your way to "the safe zone," on the other side of the park. There are half a dozen or so 'towns' and 'communities' set up all over the place with fake stores and homes to break into to scout for food and other supplies, but beware! There are actors and other park goers dressed up as zombies hiding practically everywhere just waiting to pop out and chase after you! The only way to "kill" them is to shoot them with a red paint gun. But if theyre able to hit you with one of their green paint guns it means they got close enough to bite you and you become a zombie for the rest of the day! You then have to go back to the park entrance and they make you up and turn your costume into a 'zombie outfit', and teach you how to act like 'the walking dead', then put you back in the game... as a zombie! It's insane! There are also random actors in different costumes who come from out of nowhere on your journey to join your group to either help you or steal your supplies, or try to convince your group to join their group in different acted out scenarios and the only way to 'kill' the bad guys off is to shoot them with the red paint guns... that is if they don't shoot you first! Which means youre dead, and then you still have to become a zombie... its crazy but so much fun! You should have seem Rick and I acting like teenagers running for our lives; he was dressed up like some kind of country town sheriff and I had a samurai sword and a dreadlock wig on! It was hilarious!"

"Okay, but you still haven't explained what a zombie cycle is," Carol laughed.

"Oh! They're these really cool motorbikes and scooters that guests can rent to get around the park faster and to get away from the occasional zombie hordes that pop up," she laughed. 

"I see. So I take it this Mr. Dixon is pretty well to do?"

"Oh yeah. I looked it up online, his personal net worth's around $20 million and growing... and he isnt even 35 yet."

Carol whistled. "Is he married?"

"No surprisingly and no serious girlfriend anymore either from what I read about him online. He's a major catch in the cosmopolitan circles in Atlanta. He's really good looking too I might add... just living that rich bachelor lifestyle I suppose, breaking hearts wherever he goes."

Carol chuckled to herself. "So he's in the market for a vacation home here in quiet, little old Myrtle Beach? Let me guess... some monstrous beach mansion for throwing wild parties with rock stars and strippers and all of his adoring groupies?" Carol laughed.

"Not exactly. He's actually looking to buy a main residence. He and his older brother and business partner Merle are planning to expand both the bike dealership business and the hunting goods chain by opening a location for each business here in South Carolina. Merle's gonna stay in Georgia but Daryl wants to live here closer to the action. Of course he's already got a place down in Georgia too and will frequently go back and forth but since he's gonna run the new South Carolina locations he wants a home in both states and to mainly stay in this area for most of the year. He's also looking for commercial property spaces as well. This client is a freaking goldmine."

"And you want me to be his agent? For all 3 sales; the house, and the 2 commercial properties?"

"Yep! I know this is a huge job Carol and I know rich clients arent your favorite to work with because of all the extra attention they require. Trust me for the commission these sales are gonna bring in Id gladly do this job myself but my wedding is right around the corner and I just dont have the time. Youre my top agent Carol so please, please say yes... Please?"


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Triple commission is hard to turn down...

"Okay, okay! I'll do it... on one condition," Carol sighed.

"Anything!" Michonne exclaimed.

"Just promise me that you will NOT choose that hideous mustard yellow satin for our gowns," she laughed, pointing at the fabric samples. 

"Oh my God I wont!" Michonne laughed. "It is horrible, isnt it! Looks more like it should be made into curtains than formal gowns!"

"My point exactly."

"I decided I want a simple, modern black and white "tuxedo" theme wedding. Short and sassy black dresses for the bridesmaids, black tuxes for the guys, a sexy, backless white gown for me of course and white tuxes for Rick & the best man. Short white dresses for my maid of honor and flower girls, and a sexy, long black gown for you, my matron of honor!"

Carol gave her 2 thumbs up. "Thats gonna look amazing on the pictures!"

"Yeah, and it was all my dear friend and wedding planner Andrea's idea!"

"You told me Andrea's married to the other Dixon brother, Merle. How did you two meet?"

"Andrea and I were dormmates during senior year at Georgia Southern and we got along so well we got an apartment together while we were both students at Atlanta College of Law and have been tight ever since! Her specialty was business law, and I chose real estate law. She married Merle the year after passing the bar and their wedding was one of the prettiest I've ever seen. I asked her to help plan mine if I ever got hitched and she agreed. Of course she and Merle are quite wealthy now so she only takes a few pro bono cases here and there for small businesses when she feels like it and I'm her only wedding client," she laughed. "She spends most of her time taking care of her and Merle's growing brood of kids. She's expecting baby number 4 in a couple of months as a matter of fact."

"They sure have been busy! I'm surprised that his brother doesnt have a family yet."

"I know. I told you Daryl's rich and really good looking. Andrea's shocked that he hasn't been snatched up by one of Atlanta's more ambitious socialite bachelorettes chasing him around yet. Since he's ready to buy a permanent residence here however he just might be thinking of looking for a bride soon to start a family of his own once he's settled. Keep that in mind for the homes you select to show him."

"Will do. When should I call him to schedule setting up our preliminary meeting to get his stats?"

"You wont have to do that, Carol."

"Ummm.... I have to get his stats on budget and what he's looking for, for the numerous properties he wants, to get started."

"You won't have to call him because he's already on his way here."

"Huh?"

"In fact, could you pick him up from the airport in half an hour?"

"What?" she exclaimed.

"Myrtle Beach International... out on on Kings Highway."

"I know where it is Michonne... but right now? Really?"

"Not right now," she replied sheepishly while glancing at her watch. "In about half an hour or so... at entrance gate C... the private charter lot?"

"Private charter! Michonne!" Carol groaned. "I'm not doing this!"

"Carol please! Look, Im sorry its super late notice for all of this but you know how these rich clients can be! They want instant gratification! Andrea just asked me about it on his behalf this very morning and I couldn't tell her no! As soon as I told her my best agent was probably available she told Merle who immediately told Daryl who then booked a private metro jet to haul ass out here! The flight from Atlanta to here is very short; less than two hours in fact so he'll be here soon. Millions of dollars are up for grabs and if I'd told Andrea it was too short notice for my top agent he probably would've gone to another agency!" 

Carol was still glaring daggers at Michonne so she pulled out the big guns. "Okay, okay! I'll double... no, triple your commission! On all 3 properties he purchases. Just do this for me, please!"

It took a lot to make Carol's jaw truly drop in shock but Michonne succeeded with that offer. "Triple my commission? Are you for real? Michonne, that's unheard of!"

"Carol, did you hear me when I said millions, plural, are up for grabs? Not just from him buying the properties from us but from the various business associations in town possibly sending clients our way. He's bringing a bunch of jobs and revenue to the area and any involvement our agency has in the plans will be like free advertising. The company's gonna make a nice chunk of change, even after your triple commission is deducted from our agency fee. So what do you say? Time's ticking."

"I guess I'm on my way to the airport," Carol muttered. "Its not like I had any other appointments to show houses lined up for the day."

"Good. And keep it that way. Daryl Dixon is your top priority client right now. Any other inquiries you get are to be forwarded to Rosita and Sasha until further notice."

"Yeah, yeah," Carol sighed before heading to her office to grab her purse and keys. "Im shocked that such a prestigious man will allow a little old nobody like me to pick him up," she then added sarcastically. "I cant believe he doesn't have a tuxedo & top hat wearing driver picking him up in a Rolls Royce limousine! Where's he staying anyway? The Esplanade Tower Oceanfront, perhaps?" she laughed, referring to the gaudiest, ritziest and most expensive hotel in nearby North Myrtle Beach.

Michonne just rolled her eyes at her as she closed her office door...


End file.
